Olive Branch - Good Shepherd United Methodist Church is the remaining presence of Methodism on the historic peninsula known as South Baltimore. Like Baltimore City landmarks such as Federal Hill and Fort McHenry, The United Methodist Church, is a distinctly American-born church. Its roots are traced back to England where in 1739, John Wesley, an ordained priest of the Church of England, responded to the request of 8 or 10 men to lead them in their search for a deepened experience of Christ. The group grew into what became The United Society. Spreading to America about the time of the American Revolution, these societies became the pattern of the Methodist Episcopal Church, Created at the Christmas Conference in 1784. Held inThe Lovely Lane Church then at the corner of Lovely Lane and Light Street, it was here that Bishop Asbury was ordained. Due to its quick growth, a new building was erected at Redwood and Light Street. This the first Light Street Church was also identified as the Baltimore City Station of the Methodist Episcopal Church. In 1834, under the efforts of a prominent Layman,a chapel belonging to a Protestant Episcopal Congregation at William and Churchill Streets was purchased. It remained a part of City Station until 1894 when it became a separate charge and was known as South Baltimore Station commonly referred to as "Big William Street". With the growing area to the South, differences of language, worship styles and doctrines, distances to walk, clustered communities gave rise to the organization of five other churches, all with the Methodist or Wesleyan traditions.
Light Street Methodist Protestant was established in 1852. Lowe Memorial, originally South Baltimore Free Methodist Society, was established in 1873. In 1874, Fort Avenue Methodist Episcopal began as a mission of the Baltimore City Missionary and Church Extension Society. In 1878 it became necessary to enlarge and again in 1890, additions were made. Continuing growth culminated with a rebuilt church in 1924. Patterson Memorial began about 1880 at Charles and Ostend Streets. A tent, a single room structure preceded the building at Hanover and Clement Streets in 1889. Variously known as Bethel, Cook Memorial, after a brief closing in 1894, a Day Nursery was organizedin 1895. And became a Mission of Mount Vernon Place. In 1899, endowed by a wealthy merchant, it became known as Patterson Memorial. It continued as such until around 1958 when it became a part of the Good Shepherd merger.
In 1879 another Protestant group, possibly influenced by the number of German speaking immigrants in the area, organized the Olive Branch Independent Methodist Church. Starting in a building housing the keeper to a graveyard, a one story brick structure was built at South Charles and Fort Avenue.Here in 1889, having joined with another mission at Light Street and McComas, it became the Sixth Church of the Evangelical Association of North America and the name was changed to the Olive Branch Evangelical Church. To accommodate the gradual growth, on February 19, 1905 a new church was dedicated. This with various structural changes to the Sanctuary, additions for class rooms, administrative and program activities - remains the center for worship and all other needs of the newly merged Olive Branch - Good Shepherd Congregation.
Several denominational mergers have resulted in duplication of space and pastoral leadership. Despite reduction of supportive income, the United Methodist Churches have been reluctant to give up their individual identities. However the need to use the lay leadership more effectively and have amore unified Christian witness became a driving force toward merging the various entities. The merger of Light Street and South Baltimore Station in 1958 becoming the Galilean Methodist Church. Soon there followed a union with Lowe Memorial, Patterson Memorial and Fort Avenue. They became incorporated in 1958 as The Good Shepherd Methodist Church. With perhaps too little logic, the attractive, practical, still serviceable Fort Avenue Church was replaced with an Education Building which was to become the first unit of a "Cathedral" of Methodism in South Baltimore.
With the subsequent merger of the Methodist and the Evangelical United Brethren denominations in 1968, two United Methodist churches, in close proximity, were faced with the need to work together. Attempting to survive individually failed. The South Baltimore Parish with a shared minister was not again successful - separately, Olive Branch with Union Square until it closed and Good Shepherd with Dorgouth Memorial. The impracticality of these efforts hastened the most recent merger. By action of each Church Conference, on June 7, 1995 it was voted to merge and to begin worship in the Olive Branch facility effective July1, 1995. All other activities to be held there also. Under the shared and voted on name of The Olive Branch - Good Shepherd United Methodist Church we closed one part of our various histories. We look ahead with great hope for the future thru the guidance of the Holy Spirit. God's love always confronts us with the evaluation of how we have handled our past. These are days that demand our best. But what we do with the present with all it's opportunities and challenges provides us with a fresh page on which to write our future. As we hold high the cross of Christ and his great love proclaim, let us pray for strength and courage to carry on til all the world adore his sacred name.